durrow abbey co. offaly conservation plan - Offaly County Council

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
A field assessment of the site and its environs was
under taken on the January 24 th 2005, in order to
assess the nature and condition of known and
potential archaeological features.
St Columba’s Church and Graveyard
The graveyard (OF009:00509) is located in a
densely wooded area to the south-east of the
house and contains the core monastic monuments
within the site. The graveyard is bounded by a
modern wall of random rubble limestone and the
interior of the graveyard is overgrown and contains
a small number of trees. There are two entrances,
one in the west wall and one in the east end of the
south wall. The eighteenth-and-nineteenth century
graveslabs within the graveyard are par tially
covered by long grass and many are no longer set
ver tically.
The present church, located at the east end of the
graveyard, is of simple rectangular plan and dates
to the early eighteenth century. The relatively plain
exterior is ornamented by the western entrance
which is surmounted by carved limestone urns and
a flat pediment. A carved head positioned over the
church doorway is of possible medieval date. The
head of a small stone cross which formerly stood
on the gable of the church is now in the National
Museum of Ireland. The east face possibly depicts
David as a shepherd surrounded by interlace in the
arms of the cross while the west face illustrates the
Crucifixion of Christ with busts of Stephaton and
Longinus.
Features of archaeological interest within the
church include a graveslab commemorating Francis
de Renzi of Tinnycross (1665). Detailed investigation
of the fabric of the church could not be under-
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